A technique is known in which, when a client transmits a print instruction to a server, the server which has received the print instruction converts content to be printed into print data and performs print processing by using the converted print data.
In PTL 1, a client apparatus, which has received from a user a request for printing application data created by an application within a server, transmits a generation request for generating print data from the application data to an application of the server. The server, upon receipt of the generation request and information regarding a client which has issued the generation request, generates print data in accordance with print control information according to the information regarding the client. In other words, the server described in PTL 1 provides a client with a service for generating print data.
Such a form of service in which a server provides a print service to a client is known. On the other hand, cloud computing, which has drawn attention in recent years, is also a form of service in which a server provides a service to a client. Cloud computing is mainly characterized in that requests from a plurality of clients are simultaneously processed in such a manner that data conversion or data processing is performed by using a lot of computing resources, through distributed computing. At present, there are a plurality of vendors which provide various services by implementing web services in this cloud computing environment.
On the other hand, a method is known in which printing is performed by directly transmitting print data from a mobile terminal, such as a smart phone, to a printer. In this method, document data needs to be converted into print data within the mobile terminal, thereby causing a shortage of memory in some cases, depending on the mobile terminal. The web server disclosed in PTL 2, upon receipt of a print request from an image forming apparatus, instructs a print service to generate print data. The image forming apparatus receives the print data from the print service and performs printing, and notifies the print service of a print status whenever the print status changes. A system for performing printing through the combination of such a mobile terminal, a printer, and a server is called cloud printing.
In order to make a plurality of print services that exist on a network available for use, registration of a virtual printer needs to be made for the printer services. A method for avoiding these laborious registration operations may involve collectively instructing the print services to register virtual printers. However, when virtual printers are collectively registered with all the print services, virtual printers, which are not actually used, may be registered.